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Pukhlein
Fried rice flour and jaggery cakes
Khasi fried rice-flour and jaggery cakes, crisp outside and chewy inside
Pukhlein are the sweet treats of Khasi tea stalls and celebrations in Meghalaya: a batter of rice flour and jaggery fried into round, puffed cakes that are crisp and caramelised on the outside and chewy within. They are made for Christmas and family gatherings and are sold at Shillong's Iewduh (Bara Bazaar) with red tea. They taste a little like a cross between a doughnut and an Indian anarsa. Chef's tip: rest the batter for at least an hour; the rice flour hydrates and the cakes puff instead of spreading.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz jaggerygrated
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups vegetable oilfor frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dissolve 5 ½ oz jaggery in ¾ cup warm water and strain to remove any grit.
Step 2: Stir the jaggery water into 9 oz rice flour (ideally sticky-rice flour) with 1 pinch salt to make a thick batter that falls heavily from a spoon. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
60 minStep 3: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a kadai over a medium heat until a drop of batter sizzles and rises slowly, about 350°F. Common mistake: very hot oil; the sugar in the batter burns before the middle cooks.
Step 4: Drop in ladlefuls of batter, 2–3 at a time. Fry for 2–3 minutes a side, spooning oil over the top, until puffed, deep brown and crisp at the edges.
20 minStep 5: Drain on a rack and cool for a few minutes before eating; they crisp up as they cool. Best the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pukhlein take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 70 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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